Ngāi Tūhoe, Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Manawa, Ngāti Whare, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue

Dip (Te Reo), Dip (Maori Governance), LLB, LLM, MInstd

Te Rika is an accomplished leader with extensive experience in strategy, governance, and the public service. He has built a professional career that spans Māori land administration and the public sector, demonstrating a strong commitment to advancing Māori and community aspirations. Te Rika previously served as the Head of Programme Design and Delivery for Tuaropaki, where he led transformative initiatives grounded in kaupapa Māori for the $1.2 Billion Māori trust. He now holds the role of Senior Regional Advisor (Iwi Partnerships and Māori Economic Development) at Te Puni Kōkiri, where he continues to drive impactful outcomes through strategic collaboration and innovative approaches.

Te Rika is the Deputy Chair of Fire and Emergency Bay of Plenty, an Advisory Board Member for Toi Kai Rawa (Māori Economic Development Agency, Bay of Plenty) and is a trustee for Toi Matarua Indigenous Research Institute. Additionally, he is a member of the Global Advisory Council for the LEGO Foundation (SPIRIT) and proudly represents his whānau and hāpori as a board member for his Marae, Hapū, and Tribal Authority in the Tūhoe rohe. In the past, Te Rika was also a Regional Chair for Te Pati Māori and an Executive Board Member of the Māori Law Society at the University of Waikato.

As our General Manager, Te Rika leads with a vision to empower excellence and innovation across all facets of the organisation. With a strong focus on strategic leadership, Te Rika oversees the operational, financial, and cultural well-being of Te Puna Ariki. This caliber of leadership ensures that we are aligning with our kaupapa Māori values and the aspirations of rangatahi, whānau, hapū, and iwi.